


I've Seen A Grown Man Cry

by venusinpink



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Bisexuality, Chaptered, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Female Friendship, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Humor, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, Male Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Multiple Pairings, Mutual Pining, Mystery, Open Relationships, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:55:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29974254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/venusinpink/pseuds/venusinpink
Summary: Byleth has been receiving anonymous love letters from a secret admirer, the confessions getting even more desperate with each letter. With Sylvain's help, can they figure out whose been sending the letters? Or will they end up in a web of chaotic love and little white lies?“Another letter?” Sylvain said, falling backwards onto Byleth’s bed as he made himself comfortable.“I don’t know who I’m more jealous of, you or your lovesick admirer.”
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth, Dorothea Arnault/Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Dorothea Arnault/My Unit | Byleth, Dorothea Arnault/Sylvain Jose Gautier, Felix Hugo Fraldarius/My Unit | Byleth, Sylvain Jose Gautier/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	I've Seen A Grown Man Cry

“Another letter?” Sylvain said, falling backwards onto Byleth’s bed as he made himself comfortable.

“I don’t know who I’m more jealous of, you or your lovesick admirer.” 

“…I just. I don’t really understand.”

Feeling dizzied by the fervent contents of the letter Byleth put a hand to her face, leaning into its much needed support. Just like the first letter, the second was wrapped in a red silk ribbon and placed carefully on her desk. Not a single thing in the room was disturbed, and not even a sign of forced entry could be traced. 

“How is … How are they getting inside? Should I be worried?”

Byleth looked up to find Sylvain on his stomach now, flipping through her countless battle logs. Her throat tightened as he leisurely brushed over her silver diary, reaching for another leather bound journal. What would be worse, she thought, Sylvain finding out she thinks he runs funny or the fact that she once found him attractive before they became this close? 

Byleth palmed her face, dragging her hand down to cover her eyes as stress creeped up over her shoulders to weigh them down even further. If she was being honest with herself she hoped whoever was threatening to _“strike down the very heavens if they ever tried to claim back their divine gift to earth”_ would stop this nonsense. She had never let someone down, nor had she ever accepted anyone in a romantic sense either. All in all, it was untouched territory for Byleth.

“Seems like you need overnight security,” Sylvain said smirking coyly at his friend. “You can be big spoon, but only if I get to-“ 

Byleth glared at Sylvain, reaching for a paperweight on her desk to send straight through his thick skull. 

“Alright, alright!” Sylvain shouted, pretending to quiver under his raised hands. “But seriously…Who do you think has the capacity to pour out their heart like this? It’s better than anything I’ve ever written up for sure.” 

Reaching for the first letter in the pile of journals on Byleth’s bed, Sylvain read aloud the passionate blaze that was the introduction of the letter. Sylvain made a show of clearing his throat, teasing Byleth further as she rolled her eyes at his antics, finding a place to sit next to him.

_“Torturer,_

_How foolish am I to carry on in this wretched way, instead of leaping upon the nearest pegasus and closing my eyes until I find myself in your arms? How foolish am I to let you walk so freely on these grounds, without my hand in yours, claiming you for my own in the eyes of this world? Spare me your judgement, and have mercy on my endless aching for I have not the kind of strength it takes to admit that I belong to you. Status, materials, glory - They pale in the warmth of your touch, in the warmth of your steady gaze.“_

Byleth choked, holding a hand to her chest as Sylvain let the confession bleed itself out all over again. What had she done to illicit a letter that better belonged in a romantic tale? When the church hired her as their tactician she was told time and time again to refrain from any romantic pursuits due to the severe nature of being in charge of the fate of Fodlan. Thinking back on the request Byleth felt her ears burning with guilt, sorting through recent memories to try and catch herself failing to keep her word to Seteth. 

_“Yet, my discipline withers with every breath you take. The goddess has both cursed and blessed me, guiding me nowhere. Will the battle for your affection cut me down as I stand, or will you save my purposeless existence with just one embrace?”_

“Sheesh! Torturer, huh?” Sylvain finished the letter as he licked his dried lips, shaking his head incredulously at the words before him. 

“My guess is this has either got to be someone pulling your leg or…” Sylvain trailed off, his wonderings whisking him away to a lineup of the monastery’s infamous hopeless romantics. 

“Okay so here it says something about status not meaning much to this guy, or girl for that matter.” Sylvain said, putting a finger to his lips in thought. 

“They also mention something about feeling purposeless…gotta tell you, Byleth,” Sylvain shrugged, flipping the letter to its backside in hopes of discovering a more leading detail. 

“I’m thinking it’s Dimitri. Honest.” 

“That cannot be,” Byleth stated, almost stuttering. Her eyes wandered over the page, noticing for the first time the neat calligraphy of the author. 

“I don’t know, Sylvain. Do you think his handwriting could have flourishes like these? I just-“ Byleth paused, her mind spinning. She thought tomorrow might be the day she indulged her restless spirit to spring herself free from monastery. Something about her admirer watching her every move made her shy. She hated the idea that she was unknowingly putting this person through hell and back just for existing.

“Dorothea? Wait wait, how about-“ Byleth cut off Sylvain, getting up to open the door to her dorm. 

“Kicking me out because you’re suspicious of me, eh?” Sylvain said laughing, following her to the door. 

“No, well. I don’t know,” Byleth sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. “But I need you out of my room before someone figures out I actually enjoy your company.” 

Beyond the steps of the dorm mercenaries and nobles passed by for Byleth to pick apart in her mind, wondering if she could find secret admiration on their faces. 

“Aw, keep complimenting me like that and I’ll tell your admirer to really get lost.” Byleth pushed Sylvain out half-heartedly with a small smile, watching him jog off to Felix emerging from the training grounds. If the two weren’t attached at the hip Byleth might have suspected Sylvain, but truly if there was anybody she could call a true friend in the midst of all of this chaos and destruction it was surely the beloved fool who called himself Sylvain. 

Byleth slipped back into her dorm, her curiosity guiding her towards the second letter she received. Her admirer seemed rash in the second letter, threatening every possible force that could bring division between them and Byleth. The calligraphy was still the same, neat and precise writing. 

_“…To think that you could do this to me. I wonder if I was made for you, or you for I. It doesn’t matter. In the end, either we will reach every peak ahead of us or I will fall into the deepest chasm, locked away from the love I know I cannot live fully without. Let me in, and you will have every part of me for eternity. Let me in, or I’ll die by this sword without any reason.”_

“Die by this sword…?” Dimitri uses a sword from time to time, but usually to spar with…No. 

Not him. 

Byleth leaned back onto her dorm wall, steadying her breath as her mind raced in circles. 

Felix was essentially her rival, whether she had accepted the terms or not. Since Byleth’s arrival at the academy Felix was a thorn in her side that she couldn’t rid herself of. He challenged her incessantly to sparring no matter the hour, but not only that the man was hellbent at making every interaction between them a competition. If Felix caught Byleth fishing, he was there on the other side of the pond watching her catches intently to match them in number. Even when they all dined together Felix would pile his plate with foods spicier than he could handle, just to best Byleth at a game she wasn’t aware she was playing. 

Byleth shrugged it off, feeling her face grow warm. Undoubtedly, Byleth found Felix annoyingly attractive yet he was so untouchable at times. She sighed out, frustrated, wondering why she had to have a child’s crush on such a prickly personality. The only thing Felix wanted her for was to practice eviscerating enemies. She couldn’t place her suspicions on a sly hope that he secretly felt so helplessly enamored with her. Besides, how could he have left this lipstick stain on the bottom right corner. 

Lipstick stain?! 

Byleth pulled the letter closer to her scrutiny, the lush red stain appearing in the shape of a thumb print. Maybe Sylvain was right, could it have been Dorothea this whole time? Byleth thought of Dorothea’s gorgeous hair falling over her shoulders, her shining green eyes always alight in a mischievous way. If it were Dorothea, it wouldn’t make much sense. The last time Byleth had the pleasure of spending time with her stunning friend she had been lamenting grievously over the fact that she felt foolish to want a man like Sylvain. It had taken her so much courage to even tell Byleth, considering the circumstances of her close friendship with Sylvain. Yet if it was her, Byleth thought, she wouldn’t be too mad at someone like Dorothea pining for her. 

Byleth shook her head from the thought, knowing there was no way it could be the songstress by the way the author spoke of status.

Whatever was going on, it wasn’t as clear-cut as it seemed.

**Author's Note:**

> loosely based on blue lions route - the story won't have too much to do with the details of storyline however, im more so using it as a backdrop for drama in the monastery. this is the first chapter of a few, im not sure how many chapters yet but i will try and update every week. (this story will include themes like free love where people literally just have free relationships with each other sexual, or not.)
> 
> thank you so much for reading, im not a professional at all. i just like to write, so again thanks for reading the stories i made for myself.
> 
> Who will the lipstick stain lead Byleth to? more next time on dragonbal- hey wait


End file.
